IT ALL WENT CHRISTMASSY

Everyone was waiting. And atlast it came; the Christmas eve. But the wait they had was not at all husky when compared to the wait mankind had for its saviour. But it's worth it, always.

Mr. Ioner was walking around the church along with his daughter Ruthie. Unlike others, Ioner wasn't waiting for this eve. For him, it is the day on which he has to buy something for his daughter.

No one knows his trauma in raising his Ruthie, who is merely seven. And the disparity of this family was that Ruthie knew that her mother was somewhere in heaven. But she never felt this 'motherlessness'. Mr. Ioner, a stroppy man, was somehow a fine father. The dusty rocks and gnarled iron blocks that Ioner lifted up with his bare hands at his worksite, he was actually removing those obstacles from his daughter's life. He loved his little angel, more than anything in this hellish world.

Whatever, now our Ioner is walking around the church with his Ruthie, whose amazement was all about the fancy illuminations set on the outer walls of the church. And there were many christmas shops around. As they walked past one of those, Ruthie bellowed, " Dad, look at that statuette of the Virgin. Its enchanting, ain't it ? Dad you gotta buy me that one ".

Without a moment of thought, Ioner blurred out: " O come on Ruth. Its too costly. You can't afford to have it. Forget it ".

Well the beauty of the Virgin she saw was so tempting. The modish flair of the miniature was so tough such that even the sight of it was exceedingly soothing like the hug of a loving mother. Although Ruthie never asked for it again.

Ioner knew what he did was harsh. But he was right somehow. He was being tough on his daughter. He never wanted that. But the world itself was being tough on him.

At this point, one of those fine ladies in their neighborhood came and took Ruthie with her into the church.

Now Ioner was alone. It wasn't entirely comfortable for him to get into the church. So he just went for a walk around the church.

" I can't get enough her, by pulling and pushing and lifting those scrap ", He thought, " If her mother was here, it wouldn't have been like this ".

This is what worried him. Although Ruthie was doing well without a mother, this worried him a lot.

It was Christmas night. The night of rejoice. The children played with their new presents. The husbands kissed their wives with a new crave. Everyone around did everything to assuage their beloved ones.

Ioner stopped walking. Now, he was standing in in front of the shop which had the statuette of the Virgin. Ioner looked at it.

Ruthie, she's an angel. Yes she is. Only once did she ask for that thing. And when she saw that it was hard for him, she just quit.

Ioner knew this. He was suffocating. Suffocation from the tapering agony of helplessness. The only thing he could see was the Virgin and she was smiling at him.

" Merry Christmas Ioner ", someone said.

Ioner looked around. He saw Mr. Richard and his family. Ioner knew that this guy owned a big company.

" Merry Christmas sir ", Ioner replied.

" Ioner I remember you asking me job in my company last year ", Mr. Richard said.

" Yes sir, I had ".

" Well, now it seems that we need an extra man. Would you care to join, as soon as possible ".

Ioner was surprised. A job ! And it was coming to him.

" I will sir ", he said, " I will come for sure ".

" Well then, see ya ". Mr. Richard said this and moved with his family.

" Sir, one more thing ", Ioner called him, " Sir, can I ask you a favour. Can I have that first salary in advance. I mean now ".

Ioner didn't knew what came out of his mouth. It wasn't him but someone deep inside him that was talking.

Mr. Richard turned in surprise.

" Well, That's unusual ", he said, " That's really unusual from a man like you ".

Then he thought for a moment and said, " Whatever, it's Christmas right.... Fine you get that money now Ioner".

Ruthie was standing inside the church. She wasn't praying. Yet her eyes were closed. She wasn't dreaming either. She didn't mind anything that was happening around. All she saw was the face of that Virgin. She really liked that. But when she thought about her dad, she let that thought go.

" I love my dad ", she said in her mind, " Whatever, its just a statuette. I have the Virgin herself right in my heart. That means I don't need that ".

This was something beyond her age. Something beyond simple understanding. A little girl of seven was trying to habituate herself to the thuggish realities of life.

After the ceremony, Ruthie came out of the church. She saw Ioner standing at the gate. She went straight to him.

At that very moment, Ioner took something from his pocket. Something covered in glittering sheets.

" Merry Christmas Ruth ", he had said. But she didn't hear that. She grabbed that thing from his hands and rushed to unleash it.

As she uncovered it with her sweet little hands, Ioner saw her eyes veiled in tears. It was the statuette of the Virgin.

Ruthie looked at her daddy. She was crying. Ioner sweeped her into his hands. He said, " O Ruth, you cry daddy cry. You laugh daddy laugh. Its alright ".

" Daddy....", Ioner heard the voice of his angel, " I love you.... love you a lot ".

It came from the bottom of her heart. And this daddy too loved her a lot. Thus this Christmas night, a night which Ioner thought had no relevance, became the most astounding night in their life. A night in which this father and daughter reaffirmed their affection.

As Ruthie ran to her friends, Ioner spotted the Statue of the Virgin with her baby atop the church. It appeared as if she was talking to him.

No, it was no apparition. She really did talked to him.

" Worry no more son ", Ioner had heard, " Worry no more about Ruthie, for she is my daughter ".

Ioner slept well that night. Without worries, without hellish dreams. His daughter is not motherless anymore. And Ruthie had the statuette right in her hands.

Problems never end. It comes and goes. Who cares about it ! But this problem of ' motherlessness ' was over, once and for all. And from that day on, it all went christmassy.